NRL obstruction rule causing confusion even for the winners

Rugby league columnist

The Cowboys react angrily after a late try is awarded to Manly. Photo: Getty Images

It's a sign of the times that when someone performs arguably the number one last-ditch heroic of the season so far, the first thing that crosses his mind is "obstruction ruling". "I thought it could have been a possible obstruction because there were a couple of boys there I thought I ran around," Canberra match-winner Paul Vaughan told Triple M after beating five defenders to upset Melbourne. Before kick-off, coach Ricky Stuart said on air the question was whether all referees have the same definition of obstruction. Asked what foot he normally steps off, Vaughan – meanwhile – answered: "Mate, I’m a front-rower. I don’t have a step."

In-goal judges could bring perspective

In-goal judges patrolling the dead-ball line the way their colleagues do the sideline could solve the NRL’s obstruction dilemma, according to Raiders patriarch John McIntyre."‘Back when we had them before, there were very few decisions contested"’ the veteran official said on Sunday at GIO Stadium. The predecessors of video referees, in-goal judges used to rule on groundings but would be well placed to make a call on whether a defender was improperly obstructed by a decoy. Christmas, not Easter, is supposed to be about shepherds but they were the subject du jour over the long weekend.

Maroon Crusade left with nowhere to conquer

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If David Smith regards Queensland as the heartland of the game, then he takes a dim view indeed of heartlands. There were no NRL matches north of the border in round one or at Easter, yet two immediately north of Sydney on Friday (involving Queensland teams), two in western Sydney on Monday and none in the vacant Melbourne market on Good Friday. They'll tell you there are very few neutral fans at games so most of these irregularities don't matter. Tell the Maroon Crusade, a supporters' group that follows all three Queensland teams away and had to choose on Friday between Gosford and Newcastle.

A simple equation costs the Roosters some silverware

Holiday draw: A big crowd was on hand to watch Nathan Merritt's Rabbitohs and the Bulldogs on Good Friday. Photo: Getty Images

The Sydney Roosters finally broke through for their first victory in a month on Saturday night but it transpires that they should have lifted silverware a week earlier. The Jack Gibson Trophy is awarded to the aggregate winner of matches between the tricolours and Parramatta each year. At full time in the round six match between the clubs at Pirtek Stadium, the Eels staged a presentation and gave the trophy to themselves following their 14-12 victory. The Roosters won the earlier match between the clubs in 2014, back in round two, 56-4.

Veteran Hodges gets stitched up

Eagle-eyed photographer Col Whelan spotted Brisbane centre Justin Hodges wearing a jersey emblazoned with his club number - 100 - during the warm-up on Friday night. With him were players 200 and 201. "That means Justin has played with half the players in the club's history - amazing," said Col. Well, maybe just under half as Hodges was at Sydney Roosters from 2002-2004 but it has been a remarkable career. Still on embroidery, Newcastle now have Alex McKinnon's name emblazoned on their playing shirts.

If you play on holidays, crowds will come

Big crowds for traditional clashes in the NRL and Super League over the weekend indicate that regardless of our sport's current challenges attracting people, fans like derbies on public holidays. Whether it's Wigan-St Helens or Canterbury-South Sydney, people will get off their backsides for games when the shops and pubs are mostly closed and there's no work tomorrow. We need to stack public holidays with appealing games in the years ahead; make these days special across the board, not just at selected venues.

4 comments so far

get rid of the interchange this is causing all the problems because now the is never a tired forward. Has to end or change

Commenter

kellybellyfonte

Date and time

April 21, 2014, 9:45AM

It's funny that all the complainants in regard to the "obstruction" in Manly's last try against the Cowboys totally ignore the obstruction by the Cowboys No 11 against Keiran Foran when the Cowboys were awarded their last try in the 58th minute.

Commenter

Dave

Date and time

April 21, 2014, 10:35AM

Totally agree. The media seems obsessed with the last 10 minutes of games while the first 70 minutes worth of bad calls etc are deemed not to have any impact??? Also funny is how the Melbourne siren game not one writer has mentioned they play the ball was illegal as the player was facing the sideline. Not only is the media focused now on a small part of the game they only focus on contentious issues that allow articles to be written!